Calls to harden sentences for criminal ringleaders

ROME – A public prosecutor from the Italian capital has requested harsher sentences for the former head of a neo-fascist terrorist group, his right-hand man and the leader of a similar organisation. The prosecutor’s demands find basis under Article 416bis, signifying that the allegations entail mafia association.

 Massimo Carminati, a convicted gangster with an extensive connection to far-right groups, has faced fresh requests to extend his sentence to a punishment surpassing 26 years. The Rome public prosecutor asked for 24 years for Riccardo Bruggia, Carminati’s adviser, whilst calling for 25 and 9 months for their associate, Salvatore Buzzi.

 Carminati fronted a deeply corrupt network, whose influence seeped into Rome’s public administration, altering political decisions and starving the Eternal City of funding. Extortion, fraud and theft redirected the flow of millions of euros, intended for public services, into the hands of the criminal group, eventually leading to the seizure and consequent trial of 46 people, five of whom were later cleared of involvement.

 Both Carminati and Buzzi had already been locked up back in Dec 2014, in Parma and Tolmezzo, where they were isolated from other prisoners who had demonstrated any connection to mafia-related activities.

 Whilst the scandal had originally been dubbed “Mafia Capital” by the media, it later became known as the “Middle Earth” as the pair were not been found guilty of mafia association. Instead, their cases alluded to “low profile intimidation.”

 However, public prosecutor, Giuseppe Cascini, has contested Carminati’s initial verdict, stating that “criminals call him and obey him by virtue of the criminal powers that recognise him. This is mafia.”

 The hearings are expected to take place in September later this year, hoping to clear up ambiguity surrounding the constitution of Mafia-related activity, as convictions for mere corruption are placed heavily under inspection.

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